Method for slitting and splicing film



May 18, 1955 w. H. JACKMAN ETAL 3,184,356

METHOD FOR SLITTING AND SPLICINGHFILM ATTORNEYS May 18, 1965 w. H. JACKMAN ETAL. 3,184,356

' METHOD FOR SLITTING AND SPLICING FILM Filed Feb. 1'?. 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 WARREN H. JAC/(MAN ROBERT H. JUHA/VSON INVENTORS ATTORNEYS 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 v mm numQ QW N MM W km. m. Nm. /I /d M n- D D D n. n. UN m D D n. n. u n. D w n nnununn f m A EEB |M|1||||| i l 1 .ununnwu umnnnuwu. n mnnmnun QN u Nm May 18, 1955 w. H. JACKMAN ETAL METHOD FOR SLITTING AND SPLICING FILM Filed Feb. 17, 1961 WARREN H. JAC/(MAN HOHER 7` H. JOHNS/V IN VEN TORS A TTR/VEYS United States Patent O 3,184,356 METHGD FR SLITT NG AND SPLICING FE11M Warren H. Jackman and Robert H. Johanson, Rochester,

N.Y., assignors to Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, N.Y., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Feb. 17, 1961, Ser. No. 89,589 2 Claims. (Cl. 156-159) This invention relates generally to splicing, and more specifically to an apparatus and method for slitting a 16 mm. film into two 8 mm. strips, splicing the two 8 mm. filmstrips together in endwise relation and attaching a leader to one end of one of the strips.

It is well known in the photographic industry to provide film rolls and magazines for use in 8 mm. cameras in which the film contained in the roll or magazine is of a specified length and is of a 16 mm. width sufficient to receive two rows of images, side by side. When the roll or magazine is positioned in the camera in one way, the operator can run ofi the full length of film exposing only one-half the film to record a first row of images thereon. The operator may then remove the roll or magazine and reposition it in the camera after it has been turned through an angle of 180. It is then possible to run off the same length of film exposing the other half to record a second row of images inverted relatively to those in the first row. The roll or magazine with the exposed film is then shipped to a photofinisher who processes the film. After the film is processed, the photonisher slits the 16 mm. film into first and second 8 mm. strips each having a start end and a finish end, attaches the start end of the first strip on one reel and the finish end of the second strip on another reel, and winds the lstrips thereon. After the strips are completely wound on the reels, the photofinisher takes the free ends of the strips from the reels, which is the finish end of the first strip and the start end of the second strip, and splices them together. The pho-tofinisher then unwinds the first strip from its reel onto the other reel so that the entire length of 8 mm. film is now wound on only a single reel, having the finish end of the second strip attached to its hub, the finish end of the first strip and start end of' the second strip spliced together, and the start end of the first strip free. The photofinisher then splices a leader to the start end of the first strip, and the film is ready for packaging for shipment back to the customer.- The above described method of handling the customers film after the processing has been completed suffers from the disadvantage that two separate splices must be made, and a portion of the film wound onto and then off a reel. Applicants invention obviates these disadvantages, and permits the photofinisher to ac complish the splicing operations simultaneously, and substantially decreases the time required to slit the film and wind the slit film on a single reel.

One of the primary objects of the present invention is to provide an improved apparatus and method for slitting a processed 16 mm. film into two 8 mm. strips, and simultaneously splicing the end of a leader to the start end of one strip, and the finish end of one strip to the start end of the other strip.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved apparatus and method for slitting a 16 mm. film into two 8 mm. strips, simultaneously splicing the end of a leader to the start end of one strip and the finish end of one strip to the start end of the other strip, and winding the spliced film strips onto a single reel at a much faster rate of speed than was heretofore possible.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved apparatus for slitting a 16 mm. film linto two 8 mm. strips, splicing the ends of two strips together and a leader onto one end thereof to form a finished 8 mm. film ICC wound onto a single reel that is of simple design and construction, thoroughly reliable and efficient in operation, and economical to manufacture.

Objects and advantages other than those set forth above will be apparent from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a preferred embodiment of the apparatus or this invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged side elevation view of a portion of the apparatus shown in FG. 1;

FiG. 4 is a segmental View in section taken along line 4 4 of FIG. 3;

FiG. 5 is a segmental View in section taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a segmental view in section taken along line 6 6 of FIG. 3;

FlG. 7 is a view diagrammatically showing a film prior to being slit along the dotted line into two 8 mm. strips;

FIG. 8 is a view diagrammatically showing the filmstrips of FIG. 7 spliced together and a leader spliced to the end of one of the strips;

FIG. 9 is a View diagrammatically showing how the leader and the ends of the film strips shown in FIG. 7 are mounted on a splicing block for simultaneously splicing the `strips together, and the leader to one of the strips; and

FIG. l0 is a segmental View in section taken along line 11i-1li of FIG. 3.

As shown in the drawings, the apparatus of this invention is supported on .a work table 11, and generally comprises a supply spindle 12, a slitter 13, a film receiver 14, a splicer 15, a leader supply reel 16, a take-up spindle 17, and a drive mechanism 15 for driving `slitter 13 and takeup spindle 17. The supply spindle 12 is rotatably supported by a housing 11B as seen best in FIG. 2 having a disk-like fiange 21 forming a back stop for a supply reel 10 of customer film 20 which has been processed. The reel 10 is mounted on supply spindle 12 and is rotatable therewith, and is held against flange 21 by a spring-biased retaining arm 22 seen in FIG. l. The housing 19 further houses an electrically operated brake, not shown, for stopping spindle 12 as soon as drive mechanism 1S is turned off.

The customers film 26 is essentially as shown in FIG. 7 having a first row of images with a start end designated 1 and a finish end designated 2, and a second row of images inverted relatively to the first row having a start end 3 and a finish end 4. It is evident from a study of the film 29 that the customer in tak-ing his movies progressed in the first row from the start end 1 to the finish end 2, then inverted his roll or magazine in the camera and progressed with the movies in the second row from the start end 3 to the finish end 4.

The slitter 13 may be any conventional type of slitter mounted on work table 11 for slitting the customers roll of film along its center line, shown dotted in FIG. 7, for dividing a roll of 16 mm. film into 8 mm. strips. In this slitting operation, the end of the customers film designated 1 and 4 in FIG. 7 is fed into slitter 13. The slitter 13, as shown in FIGS. l and 2, comprises upper and lower slitting disks 23, Z4 respectively adapted to cooperate together for slitting a film which is fed therebetween by a friction roller 25 adjacent disk 23 and rotatable therewith. Disk 23 is mounted on a shaft 26 rotatably supported by the slitter housing 27, and a friction wheel 28 is mounted on the other end thereof which is in driving engagement With a drive wheel 29 driven by any suitable type of motor 31. The friction and drive wheels 28, 29 are provided with some suitable type of friction material such as rubber or the like on their periphery to facilitate driving engagement therebetween. Since slitter 13 is of well known construction and does not form a part of the scribed in detail.

invention other than its environmental relationship thereto,Y

it will be referred toonly generally and will not bede- This is so particularly since any'vtyp of conventional. slitter maybe used.v Y Aniupwardly extendingobrackct- 32 isY mounted on work Ytable 11 for rotatably supporting take-up spindle 17.,` IA

pulley 33 is mounted Yon one end of spindle 17, and .is

connected by a flexible helical spring belt 34 or the like to a drive pulley 35 mounted on shaft 26.

The splicer 15 is mountedonwork table 11 intermediate the bracket-32 land slitter 13. `The splicer 15 may be a commercially available Griswold, Jr. splicer in which the splicing block 36 has been modifiedby moving the pins 37 onk the splicing block to accommodate one end of the leader and three ends of the filmstrips as seen in FIG. 9. Essentially, the GrisWoldJr., splicercomprises the block 36 having a fixed stationary blade38and a shaft "39 for" pivotally supporting two film clampsgin 41,142- spaced in side-by-side relation. Flrn'clamp 41 comprises a pair, of

' pivotally mounted, upper and lower clamping jawsV 43,144

respectively adapted to receive and hold a portion of the film to be spliced. Film clamp` 42 ,comprises'a'similar pair of upper and lower clamping jaws 45 and 46 respectively. The lower jaw 44, 46 of each respective clampV 41,

42 is provided with the locating pins 37 adapted tol co-J operate withthe film perforationsfor properly position-V f ond positionfshown dotted in FIG;4 3) in which'it en larges therexit opening from chamber 57'. Coverplates 71 and '72 areV securedto. membersf62, 63, amd64, and a film-separating plate 73 is mounted on members-63, 64 as best seen in FIG. 4. A substantially straight-film chute 74 having'a Vshaped groove 75 therein is securedtomembers 63,764 and a front' coverV plate 76 isVv secured `to chute 7,4; The separator 73 and cover plate V76 have a V-shaped peripheral projection 77 adapted to extend into;the nip of the slitter blades 23, 24 as seen .in FIGS so that the film.

strips after slitting will ,be guidedand-directed along the i i chute74 and track 67 respectively` as seenjin FIG. 4.

ing the filmstrips-thereon. F{he-.upperjaw 43, 45; in eachV case co-operates with its respective lower jaw' 44, 46 to hold the film'therebetween. VIn the operation of a con- .v

ventional splicer Vof this type, one of thefilm clamps/is-V raised 'and the'v lower jaw of the other film clamp lowered l into `a position for receiving film. Let usV assume that the left clamp 41 is raised and the lower jaw 46 of the 'Y right clamp lowered, 'although the reverse could be true. One filmA end is placed on the right'lower jaw 46,1therright upper jaw 45, is closed to hold the film therebetween and the left lower jaw 44'v is lowered to co-operate with sta- 1 tionaryV blade 38 for trimming off the end of the filirrufv 'Ihe right film clamp 42 is then raised. The film end to be spliced to the other Yend is then placed o n left lower jaw 44 overlapping stationary blade 38left upper jaw 43 closed to hold the film therebetween, and right film clamp* 42 lowered causing lower jaw 46 to feo-operate with sta.- tionary blade 38` to sever the film endv held by left: film clamp 41. Since right lower jaw 46 co-operates with the rightV side of stationary blade 3S, andleft lower jawV 44 co-operates with the left side of stationary blade38-,fthe/ end portions of the filmV overlap by an amount equal to the width of stationary blade l38. The left filmclamp 41 is then raised, the emulsion removed from the end of they film held by the right clamp 42,'c'ernentk applied thereto,V

and the Vleftpfilm clamp V41 lowered causing a pressure.V

pad 47 to urge the end of the film held by left film clamp 41 into engagement Vwith'the film end held by right filmY Y clamp 42;

The work table 11 is provided with an'elongated slot 48 intermediate splicer 15 andslitter 13 through which a film receiver 14' extends.rv The film receiver 49 comprises a back'plate 51 secured to table 11 by clamps or brackets 52. A substantially Ufshaped film track'53 is secured along the periphery of the lower portion of back plate 51 and has a. V-shaped groove 54 therein asvscen best in FIGS. 3 and 5to minimize contact between film 20 and" film track 53. A cover plate 55 is removably securedto the lower end of track 53 by wing nuts 56to form a film storage chamber 57 for storing film `Zflin loops. track 53 further has a pluralityof radially extending openings 58 therethrough to. permit air to escape from chamber 57 as it fills up. with lm, and further to permit dust formed'by the slitting operation toy be shaken off film 2t)V The I The cover platesV 59,171,172 co-operate to form a recess 78 therebetweenl into which, the operatormay inserta finger to facilitate urging the film 20and .pivotalmemoer 62 outwardly from itsy normal4 position into, its second position shown dotted in FIG; 3:.1'I`o facilitate this operation, the cover plates 751, 459 Vare provided with laterally Vextendingrespective upper andlower yfinger guidesV 179,

S1 as seen in FIGS. 3V and l0, andthe operatorsfinger moves along the lower guide 81 `anden'gages the upper.

guide '79 kfor pivotally moving the member 62 into the dotted position shown in FIG. 3'. .When the operators finger isiremoved, member 62freturns toits operative position under the influence of gravity'.

. The leader storage reel 16 is rotatablymounted on a 7 fixed studY 82 securedV to-work table 11, and the leader 33` is threaded through` a1turning device 134 which turns the leader through 90 degrees,y from a verticalA to a horizontal position for vpassage throughy a cutting device 85 of knownf 'type containingYV an anvil 86 and 'a -pivotedknife 87 cooperable therewith for severing leader 83. The leader 83 -passes around a post 88 mounted on table 11, and may then be Yattached .to thesplice'block 36; A cutting device 89 similarl to device 85' is mounted on table 11 between V supply'reel 10 and slitter 153 to enable the operator to.

sever the end of the customers film 20.? n In the operation of Ithis invention, the operator initially, mounts a roll 10 of customerfilm 20 on supply spindle.

. V12 andfeedsthe film manually along a track into slitter `13. The operator then presses a floot pedal or the like which connects the power supply to drivemotor 31 for driving cutting disks 23,V 24 and friction roller 25.V The end of film 20 designated 1 and 4 inv FIG.,7 is fed into slitter 13,.and film 20 -is advanced andslit into two 8 mm. stripswhich are separatedv by separating plate 73.

The operatorvstops drivemotor 31 after approximately.

two feet of filmy 2t) has been slit, and attaches the nish enddesigna-ted 4, emulsion side down, to a take-up reel 91`mounted on takeaup spindle 17. The operator inserts, a finger, normally the right forefinger, into recess '78 and simultaneously moves the pivotal member 62 into its: dotted position shown in FIG. 3 to unblock the exit Y opening in chamber'57, and start end of film `20 designatand pass through openings 58. Another cover plate 59 .j irregular in shape is rigidly secured to film track 53 adjav cent the upper end of cover plate 55 to complete the storage chamber 57.

The upper end of receiver v491has va guide mechanismed 1, which is guidedV between film guide members 66, 67

as'seen in FGS. 3 and 4, out of film chamber 57 throughV I the unblocked exit opening. The operator then restarts,

drive motor 3,1V and as the film slitting continues, the other stripenters film chamber 57 and is stored therein inthe formof filrnconvolutions orloops 92 as seen dotted in'FIG.. 3. The operator'unwinds a specified length Vof leadern83 from leader supply reel 16, severs the leader, andV places one end thereof, dull side'up, overthe rear 'pinsf37 of lower left jaw 44, the upper left jaw 43 kand rightfilm clamp 42 bcinglraised. When thel slitting of customers film 20 is completed, the operator places the star-t end designated 3 over front pins 37 on lower left jaw 44 of splicer 13 with the emulsion side up. The upper left jaw 43 is lowered closing the left film clamp 41, and the film ends trimmed by lowering right lower jaw 46. The operator then raises left film clamp 41 and places the end of film 20 designated 1, emulsion side down, on rear pins 37 of right lower jaw 46, and removes the finish end designated 2 from storage chamber 57 by a finger and places it, emulsion side up, on front pins 37 of lower right jaw 46. The right film clamp 42 is then closed and trimmed by lowering the left film clamp 41. The operator then raises left film clamp 41, applies water lto the trimmed ends extending from right lm clamp 42, scrapes ofi the softened emulsion with a scraper from the film end designated 2, applies cement to both film ends 1 and 2, and lowers left film clamp 41 urging the trimmed ends extending therefrom by a pressure pad 47 into engagement with the ends to which the cement has been applied. After the splice is dried, the left and right upper jaws 43, 45 are raise-d, the filmstrips removed from lower jaws 44, 46, and motor 31 operated for driving take-up reel 91 for winding the film 20 and leader 83, spliced as seen in FIG. 8, thereon. The operator places a rubber band, not shown, around the outer periphery of the wound film, removes reel 91 from take-up spindle 17, and it is ready for packaging for shipment back to the customer.

The invention has been described in detail with particular reference to a preferred embodiment thereof, but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention as described hereinabove and as defined in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. The method for slitting a film of predetermined width advanced through a slitter into first and second strips, each having a start end and a finish end, and simultaneously splicing the end of a leader to the start end of the first strip, and the finish end of the first strip to the start end of the second strip for forming a single continuous film of one-half said predetermined width, comprising: slitting a film of predetermined width into first and second strips; winding a portion of said second strip onto itself and storing all of said first strip except its ends; placing one end of a leader and the start end of the second strip in side by side relation; placing the start end of `the first strip in alignment with said leader, and the finish end of the first strip in alignment with the start end of the second strip; simultaneously splicing one end of the leader to the start end of the first strip, and the finish end of the first strip to the start end of the second strip; and winding the remaining portion of said second strip and said first strip and leader spliced thereto.

2. The method for slitting a film of predetermined width advanced through a slitter into first and second strips, each having a start end and a finish end, and simultaneously splicing the end of a leader to the start end of the first strip, and the finish end of the first strip to the start end of the second strip for forming a single continuous film of one-half said predetermined width, comprising: slitting a film of predetermined width into first and second strips; winding a portion of said second strip onto itself and storing all of said first strip except its ends; placing one end of a leader, and the start end of the second strip, emulsion side up, in side by side relation; placing the start end of the first strip, emulsion side down, in alignment with said leader, and the finish end of the first strip, emulsion side up, in alignment with the start end of the second strip; simultaneously splicing one end of the leader to the start end of the first strip, and the finish end of the first strip to the start end of the second strip; and winding the remaining portion of said second strip and said rst strip and leader spliced thereto.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 23,875 9/54 Speed et al. 154-423 2,265,466 12/41 Winter 242-564 2,698,359 12/54- Roberts 242-564 EARL M. BERGERT, Primary Examiner.

CARL F. KRAFTT, Examiner. 

1. THE METHOD FOR SLITTING A FILM OF PREDETERMINED WIDTH ADVANCED THROUGH A SLITTER INTO FIRST AND SECOND STRIPS, EACH HAVING A START END AND A FINISH END, AND SIMULTANEOUSLY SPLICING THE END OF A LEADER TO THE START END OF THE FIRST STRIP, AND THE FINISH END OF THE FIRST STRIP OF THE START END OF THE SECOND STRIP FOR FORMING A SINGLE CONTINUOUS FILM OF ONE-HALF SAID PREDETERMINED WIDTH, COMPRISING: SLITTING A FILM OF PREDETERMINED WITH INTO FIRST AND SECOND STRIPS; WINDING A PORTION OF SAID SECOND STRIP ONTO ITSELF AND STORING ALL OF SAID FIRST STRIP EXCEPT ITS ENDS; PLACING ONE END OF A LEADER AND THE START END OF THE SECOND STRIP IN SIDE BY SIDE RELATION; PLACING THE START END OF THE FIRST STRIP IN ALIGNMENT WITH SAID LEADER, AND THE FINISH END OF THE FIRST STRIP IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE START END OF THE SECOND STRIP; SIMULTANEOUSLY SPLICING ONE END OF THE LEADER TO THE START END OF THE FIRST STRIP, AND THE FINISH END OF THE FIRST STRIP TO THE START END OF THE SECOND STRIP; AND WINDING THE REMAINING PORTION OF SAID SECOND STRIP AND SAID FIRST STRIP AND LEADER SPLICED THERETO. 